How early is too early gap year job search?

[Endoxifen]

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I'll be applying next cycle, after which I'll be taking a gap year. I've been doing clinical research this year quite successfully and I want to continue. When should I start reaching out to schools about research assistant jobs? Does anyone know any schools are good places for people looking to only take 1 year off? Also, does anyone know how likely it is to get authorship as an assistant? Thanks!

 

[JohnWill30]

not sure if I am reading this correctly, is this under the assumption you will apply, not get in, then need to take a gap year?

 

[HarryPotterLostInNarnia]

Now would be good. When I was applying for RA jobs, I applied everywhere starting in March.

 

[Endoxifen]

not sure if I am reading this correctly, is this under the assumption you will apply, not get in, then need to take a gap year?

No, I'll be applying the summer after my senior year. A gap year will happen as a result.

 

[Endoxifen]

Now would be good. When I was applying for RA jobs, I applied everywhere starting in March.

You applied a year in advance? If you don't mind, where did you apply? Did you ultimately get a job through the applications or were you refereed by a contact? What's the job like? Do you do any actual research?

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

n=1 here, but I waited until 3-4 weeks before my graduation and then applied to some positions. I had two research interviews and one AmeriCorps one and ended up going with the latter. I would personally recommend searching around mid-March just to be safe, but as the poster above mentioned.. I'm confused on your timeline. Are you applying now and graduating in the next month or so? Or are you expecting to not get in this cycle and reapply post-grad?

Either way, I'd start applying for jobs mid-April at the latest depending on when your school graduation is. I know a lot of people do one year of research at WashU and it seems to work alright for them. That's probably dependent on a bunch of factors.

Edit: you replied before I got this sent out lol the research jobs I was offered were 1) through searching by myself with no contact at WashU and 2) through my school with Sigma

 

[Endoxifen]

n=1 here, but I waited until 3-4 weeks before my graduation and then applied to some positions. I had two research interviews and one AmeriCorps one and ended up going with the latter. I would personally recommend searching around mid-March just to be safe, but as the poster above mentioned.. I'm confused on your timeline. Are you applying now and graduating in the next month or so? Or are you expecting to not get in this cycle and reapply post-grad?

Either way, I'd start applying for jobs mid-April at the latest depending on when your school graduation is. I know a lot of people do one year of research at WashU and it seems to work alright for them. That's probably dependent on a bunch of factors.

Edit: you replied before I got this sent out lol the research jobs I was offered were 1) through searching by myself with no contact at WashU and 2) through my school with Sigma

Thanks! I realize that the current cycle is technically not over yet. I'll be applying next summer, not this summer. Then I'll be off the following year while doing interviews and the like.

 

[HarryPotterLostInNarnia]

You applied a year in advance? If you don't mind, where did you apply? Did you ultimately get a job through the applications or were you refereed by a contact? What's the job like? Do you do any actual research?

Sorry, I misunderstood your question. I thought you will be starting a job THIS summer.
I work at a medical school as a research assistant, and I applied through their job application website. Their website allows me to upload a resume and apply as many open positions as possible. I applied to like ~20 labs, refreshing pages everyday for a month, looking for a research I would be interested in. I ultimately got two interviews and decided on a bench research involving the pharmacology of RNA. Typical RA thing, you do wet lab research, journal club, lab meetings, publications/presentations.
My friend who lives in a big city (Boston) found a job from Monster.com, and works at a Harvard-affiliated hospital lab. So the key is always look out for open positions! Finding a good lab/job is time-consuming and hard, and April-July is especially competitive because of the graduating college seniors.

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

Sorry, I misunderstood your question. I thought you will be starting a job THIS summer.
I work at a medical school as a research assistant, and I applied through their job application website. Their website allows me to upload a resume and apply as many open positions as possible. I applied to like ~20 labs, refreshing pages everyday for a month, looking for a research I would be interested in. I ultimately got two interviews and decided on a bench research involving the pharmacology of RNA.
My friend who lives in a big city (Boston) found a job from Monster.com, and works at a Harvard-affiliated hospital lab. So the key is always look out for open positions! Finding a good lab/job is time-consuming and hard, and April-July is especially competitive because of the graduating college seniors.

Yeah definitely wouldn't recommend applying in April when I did. It was stupid stressful and I'm from Missouri where the research market isn't crazy competitive.

 

[Endoxifen]

Well, I'm getting the impression that I should wait about a year. That works for me. I've been poking around at schools I've worked for in the past, but maybe it's too soon.

What's life like as a research assistant? Is it really difficult to live off the salary for a year or is it comfortable if you're careful. Thanks for all the help!